This banana export season showed strong growth for Magnus Farm Fresh Ltd, an Indian grower-exporter, sourcing from key regions like Solapur and Jalgaon in Maharashtra. Laxman Savalkar, Director, says India's overall export of bananas grew 30% year-on-year. "Banana exports doubled our volumes," he added, mentioning Magnus' expanded team size to meet steady demand from Gulf countries.
© Magnus Farm Fresh Ltd
"Last year, Jalgaon bananas struggled with pulp quality issues, impacting sales later in the season. This time, bananas from Solapur, Jalgaon, and parts of Andhra Pradesh performed better. Still, weather shifts posed challenges," Savalkar notes. "Extreme weather hurts banana shelf-life," Savalkar explains. "High temperatures, humidity, and erratic rainfall led to high pulp content, poor appearance, and fungal issues." Magnus tackled this by sourcing from multiple regions, using Fruitcare technology, and enforcing strict quality checks from the field to the container dispatch. A dedicated quality team monitored farms, ensuring consistent quality exports.
© Magnus Farm Fresh Ltd
"Prices stayed steady compared to last year, with FOB at $5–7 and CIF at $7–9.50 for 13 kg. The G9 Cavendish variety led commercial shipments from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat due to its reliable yield and quality," Savalkar highlights. "G9 dominates bulk exports for its consistency," he notes while adding that other varieties from South India like Rasakethli and Nendran, shipped by air, found strong acceptance in Singapore and Malaysia, particularly from premium clients.
© Magnus Farm Fresh Ltd
Savalkar pointed to demand patterns in the Gulf: "Iraq took lower-grade bananas, while Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar preferred premium grades. The Israel-Iran conflict disrupted exports to Iran, causing early hiccups. War in Iran shook our trade initially," he says, but demand from Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jebel stayed robust, with high enquiry volumes. Iraq's bulk buying also boosted shipments, keeping Magnus busy.
Looking ahead, Magnus expects stable performance in the next season. "We aim to beat last year's revenue and volume," Savalkar says as Magnus plans to strengthen sourcing, operations, and quality control to support growth in exports. "G9's performance and strong Gulf demand have set the stage for bigger goals next season," he concludes.
For more information:
Laxman Savalkar
Magnus Farm Fresh Limited
Email: [email protected]
www.magnusfarm.com
